NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 15 – Chief Justice Martha Koome has called for a whole-of-society approach to eliminate child labour in the Kenya.
The CJ underscored the need for collaboration across institutions noting that while the Judiciary plays a critical role, it cannot achieve this goal alone.
Speaking during the official opening of the Employment and Labour Relations Court Annual Symposium (ELRASE III), themed “Elimination of All Forms of Child Labour and Access to Justice,” Justice Koome emphasized that eliminating child labour demands a whole-of-society approach.
She called on Parliament to strengthen and update legal protections, the Executive to implement effective policies and allocate resources, the private sector to adopt ethical business practices, and for civil society and communities to advocate for and protect children at the grassroots level saying that every institution and every citizen has a role to play.
“This symposium provides an ideal platform to forge this collective responsibility. By reflecting together, sharing experiences, and co-creating solutions, we move closer to building a Kenya where no child is exploited,” said Chief Justice Koome.
She maintained that discussions must go beyond words and translate into concrete actions that transform the lives of children at risk of or already involved in child labour. The CJ insisted that the symposium should not end as a series of insightful presentations but it must become a turning point in how child labour is collectively addressed in Kenya.
CJ Koome challenged participants to commit to strengthening systems of accountability to ensure no employer, institution, or individual can exploit children with impunity.
Further, she challenged them to commit to expanding access to justice for children through responsive legal procedures and legal aid models as well as empowering children and families so that children are found in classrooms, not workplaces.
“Justice for children is justice for society. In protecting their rights, we protect our collective future. In giving them education and freedom from labour, we give our nation new leaders, innovators, and dreamers. In eliminating child labour, we honour not only our constitutional obligations but our moral duty as human beings,” said the Chief Justice.
She further noted that child labour is not only a legal violation but a grave social injustice that robs children of their childhood, dignity, and future. It denies them their rights to education, health, rest, and play, while entrenching cycles of poverty and depriving society of the innovations and contributions of an empowered generation.
CJ Koome highlighted the pivotal role of the Employment and Labour Relations Court in the fight against child labour, particularly in interpreting and enforcing labour standards, adjudicating disputes, and protecting the rights of vulnerable workers.
She pointed out that the Judiciary has gone a step further by establishing specialised Children’s Courts, designed to provide child-sensitive spaces that uphold the dignity and welfare of children during judicial processes.
“In addition, the Judiciary has developed the Child Justice Strategy (2023–2030). This strategy provides a coherent framework for ensuring that every child who interacts with the justice system is protected, heard, and treated with dignity,” she noted.
CJ Koome called on all stakeholders—judges, policymakers, advocates, employers, religious leaders, academics, and citizens—to leave the symposium with a renewed commitment to ending child labour.
“Let us ensure that the conversations we hold here give birth to concrete actions that protect the dignity, dreams, and rights of our children. Together, through justice, collaboration, and commitment, we can eliminate all forms of child labour,” urged the Chief Justice.
Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Gender, Culture and Children Services, Hanna Wendot Cheptumo noted that the forum comes at a critical time when Kenya has made notable progress in aligning its laws and policies with international labour standards adding that the gathering provides stakeholders with a unique opportunity to reflect, reimagine, and recommit to action.
The Principal Judge of the Employment and Labour Relations Court, Justice Byram Ongaya, said the symposium brings together stakeholders to deliberate on the elimination of child labour and access to justice. It provides a platform for sharing progress, identifying challenges and agreeing on immediate actions needed to ensure that no child is subjected to exploitative and or hazardous work.
